Parent Packet Southlake Parks and Recreation 1400 Main St, Suite 210 Southlake, TX 76092 817-748-8019 www.southlakeparksandrec.com Welcome to Camp Mania! 1
Dear Parents, Thank you for enrolling your child in the Southlake Parks and Recreation Camp Mania Program at Durham Intermediate School. At Camp Mania we want your child to create memories, make new friends, learn new things, but most importantly we want them to have a fun and safe experience. We want you to feel good about leaving your child in our care that is why the City of Southlake has gone to great lengths to hire an amazing staff that will care for your children as if they were their own. All of our staff will have contact with other staff members by radio or telephone at all times, and all have been fully trained in first aid and other emergency measures. Each staff member takes their responsibility very seriously, and all are well aware of what needs to come first with this great experience, your children. Enclosed you will find camper information and forms. This packet of information should help to introduce you to the Camp Mania program and serve as a source to better help you understand what we do and why we do it. If you have any more questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at 817-748-8272 or gcruz@ci.southlake.tx.us. Sincerely, Gabe Cruz Recreation Coordinator Southlake Parks and Recreation Department 1400 Main St.,#210 Southlake, TX 76092 2
Camp Mania Mission In conjunction with the Southlake Mission, Camp Mania s Mission is: To provide campers with new opportunities and challenges, encourage team work and camaraderie, and serve as an opportunity to grow physically, emotionally, and mentally in a safe and fun setting. Camp Mania Goals 1. Have fun! Create memories and enjoy being a kid! 2. Carpe Diem Seize the day! Take advantage of the time we spend together and make it the best possible. 3. Camaraderie and Team work- 10 heads work better than 1 so work as a team. Encourage one another and be there in every way to support your fellow campers. 4. Meet new people- Whether it is another camper or a counselor, go introduce yourself and make a new friend. 5. Step up to the challenge- Try new things at least once and set goals for yourself. Camp Staff and Volunteers Great staff make great programs. Our staff and volunteers are carefully chosen. Our volunteers are interviewed by a Recreation Coordinator and Camp Director and attend the same training as staff to ensure that they excel at the role of Junior Counselor. Characteristics that we look for include the following: *Good role models *High moral values *An outgoing personality *Leadership ability *Experience working with children Training Camp Staff and Volunteers: Each staff member is trained in Adult and Pediatric CPR and First Aid. Volunteers are not required to have CPR and First Aid certifications although we are fortunate to have some that do. 3
Camp Mania Address and Location Durham Intermediate School Gymnasiums, Cafeteria, Activity Room, and Playground 801 Shady Oaks ~ Southlake, Texas 76092 North of Southlake Boulevard/FM 1709, West of Bicentennial Park PLEASE enter the school at the south drive & follow it to the back of the building. Enter the door nearest the playground. The camp meets everyday in the gymnasium. Drop off and pick up is also available at this same location. We ask that you park in the back of the school since this is the most convenient location. PLEASE DO NOT GO THROUGH THE SCHOOL WHEN PICKING UP OR DROPPING OFF YOUR CHILD! Telephone Numbers Camp Mania Phone: 817-456-1657 Alysia Campbell, Camp Director: 817-456-1657 Gabe Cruz, Recreation Coordinator: 817-748-8272 Parks & Recreation Office: 817-748-8019 4
Sign-in/ Sign-out Following sign-in and sign-out procedures is extremely important when it comes to protecting your child. At times it may seem tedious to go retrieve your Driver s License from the car to show to the person manning the check-out table who you know recognizes you, but it is all for your child s protection. Sign-in Please fill out the sign-in form completely listing the camper s name, time and who dropped your child off, contact number, and who will pick your child up. Never drop off your child outside and allow them to enter the building alone at any time. Sign-out *Please complete the sign-out form which is the same sheet you used during check-in. Please sign your name and time of pick up. Never expect your child to meet you at your vehicle when you pick them up. ANYONE (INCLUDING PARENTS) PICKING UP THE CHILD MUST BE DESIGNATED ON THE INITIAL REGISTRATION FORM. We have 40 campers that come and go, which makes it very difficult to remember every parent of every child. Regardless whether or not the staff member knows you or not, YOU MUST PRESENT A DRIVER S LICENSE OR GOVERNMENT ISSUED IDENTIFICATION WITH A PICTURE EACH DAY THAT WILL BE CHECKED AGAINST THE SIGN-IN SHEET OR REGISTRATION FORM. No camper is allowed to leave school grounds without being signed out by a parent or someone designated on the pick up list. Please do not make arrangements with your child to walk home, to neighboring schools or any other areas. No individual may pick up a child if he/she is not listed on the registration form as an authorized adult to take your child. No exceptions, other than a note from a parent dropped off at check-in, will be accepted. Phone calls are not acceptable. 5
Example of our daily schedule (Subject to change depending on planned daily activities) 7:30-9:00 Before Care 9:00-9:30 Getting to know you games in small groups. 9:30-10:30 Outdoor/gym play 10:30-11:30 Group games 11:30-12:00 Lunch 12:00-3:00 Outdoor/gym Games 3:00-3:15 Snack 3:15-4:30 Indoor Play 4:30-6:30 After Care ***Please note: a specific itinerary for the summer with helpful information will be available at camp. Payment/Refunds You may register your child online, www.southlakeparksandrec.com or at the Parks and Recreation office in Town Hall. Online registration is available until 3:00pm the Friday before camp. Registrations will be accepted at the Parks and Recreation office up until 10:00am on the first day of camp. No registrations will be accepted at camp. Field Trip Day Things to Know Please have your child wear his/her Camp Mania t-shirt on field trip day. If there is something special needed for the field trip, a note will be given to each parent on Monday. If your child has a food allergy please let the Camp Director know on Monday. Transportation will be provided to and from the field trip location. The Camp Director will have a mobile phone on field trips for emergencies. We leave promptly at the specified time for field trips, so please be punctual. Swim Day Tuesday afternoon from 12:30pm-3:30pm we will go to Dove Pool in Grapevine to go swimming. Each child will go through a swimming test to evaluate each campers swimming ability. If the child can swim a lap of the pool without stopping (not timed), he/she may swim in the deep end and jump off the diving board. If the camper can not pass the test, he/she must stay in the shallow end. Wristbands of contrasting colors will be used to designate where the campers can and can not go. *PLEASE DO NOT BRING ANY WATER GUNS OR TOYS* Required Items on Water Day: 1. Swimsuit 2. Towel 3. Sunscreen 6
Fun Fridays Friday will be full of fun! We will provide pizza or Chik-fil-a (no sack lunch is required). Next we will have some down time and watch a movie. On this day, campers are more than welcome to bring their pillows and blankets from home. Suggested Items: Pillow/blankets Already popped popcorn Camper of the Week Award Our Camper of the Week Award is given to one boy and one girl who exemplifies what Camp Mania is all about. Attitude, participation, and helpfulness are just a few of the qualities we look for in this award. Each counselor nominates a boy and a girl from their group for the award. They must explain why the camper deserves the award to the Camp Director. The final determination will be made once all reports are in. On Friday afternoon, we will present the awards for the week. The Campers of the Week will receive trophies with their names engraved. The Camper of the Week is not a popularity contest. Every counselor knows they must choose someone based solely on the previously mentioned qualities. The Camp Director has the final say in this matter. This is a very special award for the child to receive, so please be sure to recognize this achievement. Extended Care In an effort to make Camp Mania fit a variety of schedules, we offer morning and afternoon extended care at no additional fee. Before Camp Care Mon-Fri: 7:30am-9am After Camp Care Mon-Fri: 4:30pm-6:30pm Regular camp hours are 9am-4:30pm. PARENTS/GUARDIANS/AUTHORIZED ADULT ARE REQUIRED TO SIGN-IN AND SIGN-OUT THEIR CHILDREN AT ALL TIMES. THERE WILL BE A LATE CHARGE OF $1 PER MINUTE AFTER 6:30PM, PLEASE BE ON TIME! LATE FEE PAYMENTS NEED TO BE DONE IN PERSON AT THE PARKS & REC DEPARTMENT LOCATED AT 1400 MAIN ST., SUITE #210 SOUTHLAKE, TX 76092 7
Survival Tips What to wear Have your child wear loose fitting and light colored clothes. We ask that children be dressed in play clothing. Camp Mania involves the children in a wide variety of activities, so please keep this in mind when dressing your child. Please, no sandals, crocs, or shoes with wheels because they hinder the camper from participating fully in many activities. Tennis shoes work best. What to send with your child Campers need to bring a brown bag lunch with their full name on it each day (except on Friday when pizza or Chik-fil-a will be provided). Camp does provide an afternoon snack each day. Snacks selected do not contain peanuts and are not produced in a factory containing peanut products, as indicated by the manufacturer. If there is still a concern regarding certain allergies it would be best to provide your child with his/her snack. *Please note that lunch boxes are allowed, but sack lunches are recommended as they fit into the child s lunch bin better and aren t a problem if lost! If you do choose to send your child with a lunch box, please have their full name written on it. Water fountains are available, but campers are urged to bring their own water bottle with their full name written on it. Their will be a water table for campers to place and access their water bottles. However, please no glass containers (this includes thermoses with glass lining). Please have your child keep their toys, balls, games, video games etc. at home. We have plenty of activities at camp to keep them busy. We do not allow, under any circumstances, electronic games! This includes but not limited to ipods, MP3 players, Nintendo DS, DVD players, and televisions. One of the purposes of camp is to have fun and make friends and these devices can be distractions. We ask that you please do not send you child to camp with a cell phone. Not only are cell phones distracting but there is also the potential that they may be lost or stolen. If you need to reach your child or the camp director during the day please contact the phone number on the Weekly Itinerary. If you child must bring a cell phone, we do recommend that you check it in with your child s group counselor or the camp director. The City of Southlake is not liable for lost or stolen cell phones. The First Day of Camp! This first day of camp can be a bit scary for new campers and parents that is a very normal feeling. Try to remember that the more nervous you are as parent, the more nervous your child will be. Smile and relax. After check-in, a counselor will introduce you and your child to another camper. Be patient with your child if he/she is hesitant at first. At 9:00am, camp will officially start and campers will be split into their groups. They will stay in this group all week. Groups are selected by age. We believe that camp is an opportunity for kids to make new friends. When they are grouped with people they know, they tend to socialize less with others. Although they may be a little nervous to be in a group where they don t know anybody, our staff will quickly acquaint them to the group and soon they will have some new friends. 8
Visitation All parents are welcome to visit Camp Mania any time. If parents are interested in attending a field trip please notify the Camp Director two weeks prior to the field trip date so proper accommodations may be made. To attend a field trip you must provide your own transportation to the field trip destination and entry fee. A background check must also be performed two weeks prior to the field trip and/or visitation date. Please contact 817-748-8272 for more information. Lost and Found Unfortunately each year, we seem to leave camp with bags and bags of unclaimed items. We will have a table for lost and found items in the main hallway. We ask your help in encouraging your child to keep track of his/her things. Please label belongings such as bags, towels, lunches, clothing, etc. When picking up your child each day, please make sure they have all of their things with them to take home, check the lost and found table if necessary, and alert staff if you are missing any items. Because we do not allow items such as toys to be brought from home, please help us ensure that they are not brought to camp. Safety Camp Mania has an average staff to camper ratio of 1:10. This includes one Southlake Parks Recreation employee Camp Counselor and one volunteer Junior Camp Counselor. The Camp Director or Assistant Director will also always be on site. Other safety measures include: On all field trips, the buddy system is used, and there is a 1:6 staff to camper ratio, including the volunteer Junior Counselors. Our pre-camp training includes certifications in CPR and First Aid and teaching recognition of signs of dehydration, heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Our counselors use risk management techniques to minimize the chance of accidents. We require the parent and/or guardian to sign the child in when arriving and out when departing. Forms Please read over this packet with your child and discuss the camp rules and procedures. Following this page are some forms that must be completed by you and your child. Please return them to camp by Monday, the first day of camp. NO EXCEPTIONS! 9
CITY OF SOUTHLAKE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT MEDICATION POLICY AND PROCEDURES The City of Southlake Youth Programs will administer medicine only with written parental permission and will only administer medication as stated on the label directions or as amended by the physician. We urge parents to check with their child's physician to see if alternate medications can be dispensed at home. Our preference is that our camp not be responsible for assuring that campers take medication(s). However, if a camper does require medication during camp hours then all prescription medications will be given in accordance with the following policies: A medical release form must be completed for each prescription the child receives while at the program. Medical release forms are available at the Parks and Recreation office and at each program site. Parents must provide a letter from the prescribing physician stating the diagnosis and confirming the need for medication during camp hours. Included in the letter must be the physician's prescription for all medication the camper will be taking at camp. Any changes in medication, dosage, or time it is given must be documented in writing by the prescribing physician. Medications must be in their original container, labeled with the child's name, the date (if prescription), include directions on how to administer, and include the physician's name (if prescription). Inhalers and peak flows must have instructions. The City of Southlake Youth Program staff will not administer any type of injection. Parents are responsible for removing medication at the end of the Program or when the child is withdrawn. Leaders are responsible for administering medication at the time indicated on the medicine form. Medications and the completed form will be kept in a lock box with each group. Staff will be responsible for documenting all actions pertaining to medication at camp. 10
SOUTHLAKE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT CONSENT TO ADMINISTER MEDICATION My name is and I am the parent/legal Guardian of, who is a participant in the Camp Mania Program at Durham Intermediate/Elementary School, run by the City of Southlake Parks and Recreation Department. The program runs from to. My child has a medical need which requires that he/she take the following prescription medication(s):. However, during the times the program is being conducted, I am not available to administer the medication to my child. Therefore, I am, by this document, requesting that staff of the City of Southlake Parks and Recreation Department administer the prescription medication to my child. I will deliver the medication to the appropriate Parks and Recreation Department staff prior to the time my child needs it. I understand that the person(s) who will be administering the medication are not trained medical professionals, or health care professionals, and have received no special training in administering the medication that I am asking them to administer to my child. I understand that Parks and Recreation Department staff will not administer medication without proper prescription documentation. I AGREE TO INDEMNIFY, HOLD HARMLESS, AND DEFEND THE CITY, ITS OFFICERS, AND EMPLOYEES FROM ANY AND ALL CLAIMS OR CAUSES OF ACTION OR LIABILITY ON BEHALF OF ANY PERSONS, FIRM, CORPORATION, OR AGENCY, AND ITS EMPLOYEES, RELATING TO ANY NEGLIGENT ACT OR OMISSION OR INTENTIONAL ACT ARISING OUT OF THE ADMINISTERING OF THE ABOVE DESCRIBED MEDICATION TO MY CHILD. Signature of Parent/Legal Guardian Date Approximate time(s) to administer medication: Date through which the consent is valid: 11
FAIR PLAY AND BEHAVIOR POLICY (Return this signed form by 1 st day of camp) Our goal is to provide personal growth in a safe environment. Please assist us in maintaining a safe and enjoyable environment by following the Fair Play Policy. Individuals participating in Summer Camp Mania are expected to: 1. Wear appropriate attire, this includes a shirt and tennis/athletic shoes. No sandals, crocs, or shoes with wheels please! 2. Refrain from using profane language. 3. Refrain from placing themselves and/or others at risk (i.e. hitting, fighting, biting, kicking, spitting, etc.) 4. Respect one another and one another's belongings. 5. Participate in programs, remain with instructors, and follow directions to the best of their ability and refrain from disrupting camp. Persons endangering the safety of themselves or others will be removed from the facility or program. Other infractions of rules will be handled as deemed necessary by recreation staff. Children who misbehave or break camp rules will be written up. We reserve the right to bypass one or more steps in this process if situation warrants. Modifications to these rules may be made to accommodate individual needs. 1 st Write Up: Conference with child, Camp Director, and parent 2 nd Write Up: Conference with Camp Director, Recreation Coordinator, child and parent. Suspension from camp for 2 days with NO REFUND.. 3 rd Offense: Conference with Camp Director, Recreation Coordinator, Recreation Supervisor, child and parent. Dismissed from camp with NO REFUND. Parent/Legal Guardian Date Camper Date 12
Southlake Parks and Recreation Program Release and Registration Form Participant s Name Age Date of Birth Gender Grade (Entering in fall) Address City Zip Home phone Mother s name Father s name Cell phone Day phone Day phone Emergency Contact and Medical Information Emergency Contact (other than parents) Phone Number Doctor s Name Relationship Phone Number Will your child be taking any medications during the program? If yes, please complete the Consent to Administer Medication form. Does your child have any allergies? Does your child have any chronic illnesses? Are your child s immunizations up to date? (shot record may be required!) Pick-up Information The following person(s) will be allowed to sign my child out from the school site (PLEASE INCLUDE PARENTS). Your child will only be released to those listed below. Must be at least 18 years of age and ID will be required. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. LIABILITY WAIVER: I hereby relieve the City of Southlake, its employees, agents, instructors of all liability for damages or injuries to my child while participating in the Southlake Parks and Recreation Youth Programs. Furthermore, I have read and understand the refund policy and understand the City of Southlake may use photographs of participants for promotions. EMERGENCY TREATMENT RELEASE: In the event I cannot be contacted to make arrangements for emergency medical treatment, I authorize the person in charge to seek and obtain emergency medical treatment for my child. I also authorize transportation to the nearest medical facility in the event it should become necessary Signature of Parent/Guardian Date 13